Microgard MGL9018 unknown miles - yikes

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I changed the oil in my daughter's roommate's 2004 Cavalier with 134k on the odo, which I knew was severely neglected and was a hand me down from her parents with no idea of when the oil was last changed. For sure it's been years. The filter was a Microgard MGL9018 which was squashed but not torn, see pics. The media was super hard tho. Worst of all, out of the nearly 5qt oil capacity it had AT MOST 2 qts in it, the oil wasn't even touching the bottom to the dipstick, bone dry. Frighteningly the dipstick wasn't even in all the way, it was hanging out in the breeze a good 2 inches past the o-rings. It doesn't leak oil so either 3 qts blew out the dipstick or it burns oil. I didn't see any blue smoke but I also there wasn't oil all over the engine compartment. So who knows.

As she pulled it into my garage the motor sounded all clattery and loose, noisy as [censored]. Dumped the old stuff, put in nearly 5 qts of 5w30 MaxLife and a Wix filter. Started it up and was amazed at how much better it sounded, virtually all that clatter was gone. Don't know how well the motor survived the neglect long term but at least it's good for now. 3 qts low……….amazing it didn't blow up.

Enjoy the pics.

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While (you) will appreciate the maintenance, when the car blows up in 20k miles you'll be the last one to have worked on it and they will consider it your fault.
 
Originally Posted By: bubbatime
While (you) will appreciate the maintenance, when the car blows up in 20k miles you'll be the last one to have worked on it and they will consider it your fault.

I doubt it will do that. Plus he has pictures of the filter which obviously shows the car was neglected before the OP decided to help out his daughter's roommate.
 
Originally Posted By: MoreCowbellAz
Don't know how well the motor survived the neglect long term but at least it's good for now.


I'm constantly amazed at the resilience of the simple internal combustion engine. You hear this sort of story all the time and the engines generally go on to live a long life. Perhaps not as efficient, quiet or long as they would if properly maintained, but provided there is *some* oil circulation (ie the oil light is not on) they just seem to keep going.

Transmission on the other hand don't seem to be as forgiving.
 
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Hopefully there was an educational opportunity somewhere in there for the roommate....
 
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Obviously the Jiffy-Monkey $30 oil & filter gets no love here at BITOG, but it seems like the perfect once-a-year solution for daughter's roommate's sad old car. Something is better than nothing, right?
 
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Cavs with the ecotecs tend to be tough little cars. With no noise at start up, it should be okay for now. I see these cars take so much abuse, and here my 04 gets a nice synthetic and filter...though I think I'm going to run my dollar AZ kendall syn blend in it for a while.... Sure that car will be happy with the maxlife....

Impressed how well that fram made filter held up. It's old, since wix as been making MC filters for a few years now....
 
I was debating on which oil to go with, if it were my car I'd probably do some conv oil once or twice to get it clean then some longer drain syn. But since I was just trying to do a favor and not likely to see the car for awhile (I don't want it to be my maintenance baby) I figured the Maxlife was a good middle ground being a blend; should clean good and be able to go awhile. I doubt she'll be putting a lot of miles on per year.

Anyway, it was my good deed for the day. I did enjoy hearing that crazy clatter go away once I did the oil change. Very satisfying for some reason.
 
Originally Posted By: Brad_C

I'm constantly amazed at the resilience of the simple internal combustion engine. You hear this sort of story all the time and the engines generally go on to live a long life. Perhaps not as efficient, quiet or long as they would if properly maintained, but provided there is *some* oil circulation (ie the oil light is not on) they just seem to keep going.


And many here think you will blow up an engine if you use 5-30 rather than 5-20. Crazy thought processes here.
 
One those bent pleat ecotec cartridges frequently posted here, 'from many different brands'. Even seen on some lower miles fci ecotec cartridges. That said, other than being not pleasant looking, doesn't seem to affect function.

Originally Posted By: bubbatime
While (you) will appreciate the maintenance, when the car blows up in 20k miles you'll be the last one to have worked on it and they will consider it your fault.

Unfortunately in today's society this is something that needs to be taken into consideration. I'd think especially true on poorly maintained vehicles like the topic'd.

That said, nice of the OP to do something good for the owner. And hopefully a kind word of advice about more regular maintenance being required will be heeded. Sometimes one does the right thing just because it is.

Thanks for pics.
 
I wouldn't be surprised if there are holes in the filter media. It's easy to slice the paper around the top and bottom, remove the media and stretch it out in front of the sun. I've seen the differential pressure push the paper in around and past the ribs of the centre tube creating numerous little holes.
 
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Originally Posted By: dlundblad
Is that cage cracked? Might be the design too? It was nice of you to change it for her though.


No not cracked, just a weird design. But like one of the other responders mentioned, this filter was OLD and lord only knows how many miles were on it, so I wouldn't have been surprised if it were actually falling apart. But it wasn't.

Even if it comes back to bite me so be it, it was the right thing to do. This girl is a good kid, 20 yrs old, without a lot of home/moral support, so she appreciates even small things like this. And my daughter has learned something too, the maintenance thing has sorta rubbed off on her by watching.
 
Originally Posted By: WobblyElvis
I wouldn't be surprised if there are holes in the filter media. It's easy to slice the paper around the top and bottom, remove the media and stretch it out in front of the sun. I've seen the differential pressure push the paper in around and past the ribs of the centre tube creating numerous little holes.


Not a bad idea, I think I'll do that when I get a chance this week. Looking closely at the inside I think there's a decent chance I'll find what you're describing. I'll post pics. That's if I can keep it from coming apart while I'm stretching it out, that media seems very very stiff and unpliable.
 
As requested, I took the media apart and held it up to the light, I did in fact see probably 6 or 8 tiny pin sized holes in the pleats where the media contacts the inner cage. Nothing that I could capture in a pic tho. This is what the media looked like in general, looked pretty consistent without a lot of debris. No tears at the glue joints, just those pinholes. I'd love to know how many miles were on that oil and filter, I wouldn't be surprised if it were 30k. Looking again at my drain pan which was empty prior to this drain, I bet there's not more than a quart and a half in there.

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